176 



A Contribution to the History of 



him, and he had the mortification to see his major, Sir Faithful 

 Fortescue, an Irishman, desert to Prince Rupert, carrying with 

 him many troopers, raised at the expense of Parliament. 



Early in December, 1642, Waller was sent into Sussex by Lord 

 Essex with a moderate force, and about the middle of that month 

 he appeared before Chichester. On the 21st a regular siege of the 

 town was commenced, and it surrendered to him eight days after- 

 wards. A goodly number of prisoners fell into his hands, including 

 Dr. King, Bishop of Chichester, the High Sheriff of the county, 

 Mr, Lewkner the Recorder, Chillingworth the Divine, and many 

 other notables. The number of officers taken is accounted for by 

 the fact that, though they had their commissions from the King, 

 they had not as yet been able to enlist their full complement of 

 soldiers. The inhabitants of Chichester offered a month^s pay to 

 Waller's men in lieu of being given over to plunder. This was 

 accepted. 



On the 8th January, 1643, the House of Commons ordered " that 

 thanks should be given in all Churches and Chappels in London, 

 Westminster, and Middlesex, for the victories in Sussex. " 



Malmesbury had been taken possession of by the Royalists in the 

 autumn of 1642, and the defences had been to some extent strength- 

 ened and a garrison of horse and foot placed there. At the beginning 

 of March, 1643, Sir William Waller, who had previously gone to 

 Bristol, determined to attack it, and commenced making preparations 

 for that purpose. 



The news spread, as we gather from the following letter 1 to 

 Prince Rupert from Captain John Hines, commanding at the neigh- 

 bouring town of Cirencester : — 



" May it please yr Highness, havinge received this inclosed from the governor 

 of Malmesbury about 3 of the clocke this morninge I thought fitt in duty to 

 acquaint your Highness with this intelligence, and I humbly beseech your 

 Highness to tacke the strenth of our garison into consideracon which standeth 

 thus : Collonell Irvine's Regiment consisting of about 400 men whereof not 200 

 arm'd, Collonell Bamphield's 120, not sixty of them Armed, Collo. Cocke some 

 25 or 26 souldiers and as many officers, And the Armes that I received from 



1 Hine's original letter is in the possession of Dr. Jennings, of Abbey House, 

 Malmesbury, by whose kind permission I am able to give it ; as also a second, 

 which will be foundifoelow. 



